IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/jintdv/v14y2002i7p951-972.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Rural-to-urban migration in LDCS: a test of two rival models

Author

Listed:
  • Prabir C. Bhattacharya

    (Economics Division, School of Management, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK)

Abstract

This paper provides a test-using an India data set-of both the Todaro-type probabilistic models of migration and a distinctly different view of the labour migration process which sees the rural-urban migration flow as consisting of two distinct streams, with separate incentives-one group migrating to the informal sector where wages are competitively determined and the other group to the formal sector with jobs mostly prearranged (and with rural-urban migration not contributing to an increase in unemployment in any meaningful sense). The policy implications of this alternative view of the labour migration process are clearly substantially different from those derived from the Todaro and the Harris-Todaro-type models. The evidence presented in this paper are seen to support this alternative view. The paper also considers the role of the social factors in migration decisions and examines the extent to which the variables which explain the migration for employment also explain the migration behaviour of those who gave various reasons other than employment for migration. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • Prabir C. Bhattacharya, 2002. "Rural-to-urban migration in LDCS: a test of two rival models," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 14(7), pages 951-972.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jintdv:v:14:y:2002:i:7:p:951-972
    DOI: 10.1002/jid.915
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1002/jid.915
    File Function: Link to full text; subscription required
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/jid.915?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Todaro, Michael P, 1969. "A Model for Labor Migration and Urban Unemployment in Less Developed Countries," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 59(1), pages 138-148, March.
    2. Bhattacharya, Prabir C, 1993. "Rural-Urban Migration in Economic Development," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 7(3), pages 243-281, September.
    3. Banerjee, Biswajit, 1983. "The Role of the Informal Sector in the Migration Process: A Test of Probabilistic Migration Models and Labour Market Segmentation for India," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 35(3), pages 399-422, November.
    4. Yap, Lorene Y. L., 1977. "The attraction of cities : A review of the migration literature," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 4(3), pages 239-264, September.
    5. repec:ilo:ilowps:165354 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Harris, John R & Todaro, Michael P, 1970. "Migration, Unemployment & Development: A Two-Sector Analysis," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 60(1), pages 126-142, March.
    7. Prabir C. Bhattacharya, 2000. "An analysis of rural-to-rural migration in India," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 12(5), pages 655-667.
    8. Prabir C. Bhattacharya, 1995. "The economics of development: A review article," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 22(2), pages 59-74, May.
    9. Bhattacharya, Prabir C, 1994. "A Multi-sector Model of LDC," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 41(3), pages 225-255, August.
    10. Prabir C. Bhattacharya, 1998. "Sector-specific sticky wages and wage subsidy: a note," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 25(2), pages 124-128, May.
    11. Williamson, Jeffrey G., 1988. "Migration and urbanization," Handbook of Development Economics, in: Hollis Chenery & T.N. Srinivasan (ed.), Handbook of Development Economics, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 11, pages 425-465, Elsevier.
    12. Prabir C. Bhattacharya, 1996. "The role of the informal sector in structural transformation: Some Indian evidence," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 8(1), pages 83-94.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mohamed Amara & Mohamed Ayadi & Hatem Jemmali, 2019. "Rural–urban migration and income disparity in Tunisia: A decomposition analysis," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 98(2), pages 1053-1083, April.
    2. Prabir C. Bhattacharya, 2015. "A Model of Optimal Development: Further Results," Heriot-Watt University Economics Discussion Papers 1504a, Department of Economics, School of Management and Languages, Heriot Watt University.
    3. Asfaha, T.A. & Jooste, Andre, 2006. "The agricultural input elasticity of rural-urban migration in South Africa," Agrekon, Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA), vol. 45(1), pages 1-17, March.
    4. Bhattacharya, Prabir C., 2011. "Informal sector, income inequality and economic development," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 820-830, May.
    5. García-Díaz, César & Moreno-Monroy, Ana I., 2012. "Social influence, agent heterogeneity and the emergence of the urban informal sector," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 391(4), pages 1563-1574.
    6. Saracoglu, Durdane Sirin & Roe, Terry L., 2015. "Internal Migration, Structural Change, and Economic Growth," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 212690, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    7. Ingrid Dallmann & Katrin Millock, 2013. "Climate Variability and Internal Migration: A Test on Indian Inter-State Migration," Documents de travail du Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne 13045r, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1), Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne, revised Mar 2016.
    8. Cornilius Chikwama, 2004. "Rural Off-Farm Employment and Farm Investment: An Analytical Framework and Evidence from Zimbabwe," CERT Discussion Papers 0403, Centre for Economic Reform and Transformation, Heriot Watt University.
    9. Wayne Edwards & Lee Huskey, 2008. "Job search with an external opportunity: an experimental exploration of the Todaro Paradox," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 42(4), pages 807-819, December.
    10. Komeda, Kenji, 2021. "Environmental Factors and Internal Migration in India," Warwick-Monash Economics Student Papers 20, Warwick Monash Economics Student Papers.
    11. Cornilius Chikawama, 2004. "Quota Rural Off-Farm Employment and Farm Investment: An Analytical Framework and Evidence from Zimbabwe," Working Papers E04, Department of Economics, School of Management and Languages, Heriot Watt University.
    12. Gabriel V. Montes Rojas & Lucas Siga, 2009. "On the nature of micro-entrepreneurship: evidence from Argentina," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(21), pages 2667-2680.
    13. Federico S. Mandelman & Gabriel Montes-Rojas, 2007. "Microentrepreneurship and the business cycle: is self-employment a desired outcome?," FRB Atlanta Working Paper 2007-15, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
    14. Ivanic, Maros, 2004. "Implications of Household Saving on Poverty," Conference papers 331269, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    15. Gonzalo Duran, 2005. "Subsidios de Educación: Impacto en la Migración y Convergencia Regional," Public Economics 0512007, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Mandelman, Federico S. & Montes-Rojas, Gabriel V., 2009. "Is Self-employment and Micro-entrepreneurship a Desired Outcome?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(12), pages 1914-1925, December.
    17. Saracoglu, Durdane Sirin & Roe, Terry L., 2013. "Internal Migration, Structural Change, and Economic Growth," Conference papers 332322, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    18. Mahreen Mahmud & Tareena Musaddiq & Farah Said, 2010. "Internal Migration Patterns in Pakistan—The Case for Fiscal Decentralisation," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 49(4), pages 593-607.
    19. Beegle,Kathleen G. & Benjamin,Nancy Claire & Recanatini,Francesca & Santini,Massimiliano, 2014. "Informal economy and the World Bank," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6888, The World Bank.
    20. Nancy Benjamin & Ahmadou Aly Mbaye, 2014. "Informality, Growth, and Development in Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2014-052, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    21. Mitra, Arup & Murayama, Mayumi, 2008. "Rural to Urban Migration: A District Level Analysis for India," IDE Discussion Papers 137, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO).
    22. Ingrid Dallmann & Katrin Millock, 2016. "Climate Variability and Internal Migration: A Test on Indian Inter-State Migration," Post-Print halshs-00825807, HAL.
    23. Ingrid Dallmann & Katrin Millock, 2013. "Climate Variability and Internal Migration: A Test on Indian Inter-State Migration," Working Papers id:5480, eSocialSciences.
    24. Ingrid Dallmann & Katrin Millock, 2016. "Climate Variability and Internal Migration: A Test on Indian Inter-State Migration," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-00825807, HAL.
    25. repec:mse:cesdoc:13045 is not listed on IDEAS

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Prabir C. Bhattacharya, 1998. "Migration, employment and development: a three-sector analysis," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 10(7), pages 899-921.
    2. Bhattacharya, Prabir C., 2011. "Informal sector, income inequality and economic development," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 820-830, May.
    3. Yamauchi, Futoshi, 2003. "Are experience and schooling complementary?," FCND briefs 166, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    4. Hagen-Zanker, Jessica, 2010. "Modest expectations: Causes and effects of migration on migrant households in source countries," MPRA Paper 29507, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Elgin, Ceyhun & Oyvat, Cem, 2013. "Lurking in the cities: Urbanization and the informal economy," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 36-47.
    6. S.M. Turab Hussain, 2005. "Rural to Urban Migration and Network Effects in an Extended Family Framework," Microeconomics Working Papers 22257, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research.
    7. Oyvat, Cem, 2016. "Agrarian Structures, Urbanization, and Inequality," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 207-230.
    8. Ana Paula Martins, 2011. "Compliance with the Institutional Wage in Dualistic Models," Journal of Economics and Econometrics, Economics and Econometrics Society, vol. 54(2), pages 93-126.
    9. Zhang, Kevin Honglin & Song, Shunfeng, 2003. "Rural-urban migration and urbanization in China: Evidence from time-series and cross-section analyses," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 14(4), pages 386-400.
    10. Jensen, Robert T., 2004. "Do private transfers 'displace' the benefits of public transfers? Evidence from South Africa," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(1-2), pages 89-112, January.
    11. James E. Rauch, 1993. "Economic Development, Urban Underemployment, and Income Inequality," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 26(4), pages 901-918, November.
    12. Coolidge, Jacqueline G. & Porter, Richard C. & Zhang, Z. John, 1993. "Urban Environmental Services In Developing Countries," Working Papers 11894, Environmental and Natural Resources Policy Training Project.
    13. Bertinelli, Luisito & Black, Duncan, 2004. "Urbanization and growth," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(1), pages 80-96, July.
    14. WANG Tianhong & Atsushi MARUYAMA & Masao KIKUCHI, 2000. "Rural-Urban Migration And Labor Markets In China: A Case Study In A Northeastern Province," The Developing Economies, Institute of Developing Economies, vol. 38(1), pages 80-104, March.
    15. Brueckner, Jan K. & Zenou, Yves, 1999. "Harris-Todaro models with a land market," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 317-339, May.
    16. Younoussi Zourkaleini & Victor Piché, 2007. "Economic integration in an urban labor market," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 17(17), pages 497-540.
    17. Prabir C. Bhattacharya, 2015. "A Model of Optimal Development: Further Results," Heriot-Watt University Economics Discussion Papers 1504a, Department of Economics, School of Management and Languages, Heriot Watt University.
    18. Zhong Zhao, 2005. "Migration, Labor Market Flexibility, and Wage Determination in China: A Review," Labor and Demography 0507009, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Mahreen Mahmud & Tareena Musaddiq & Farah Said, 2010. "Internal Migration Patterns in Pakistan—The Case for Fiscal Decentralisation," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 49(4), pages 593-607.
    20. S.M. Turab Hussain, 2005. "Migration, Policy and Welfare in the Context of Developing Economies : A Simple Extended Family Approach," Development Economics Working Papers 22256, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:jintdv:v:14:y:2002:i:7:p:951-972. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/5102/home .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.